Every December I am busy icing and decorating Santa Clause faces, Snowmen, Candy Canes, Christmas Trees, Bells and Stockings. Some times we have more cookies going out our shop than birthday cakes. We do cookie platters and gift platters and large orders for various businesses who like to serve them to their customers. I love decorating Christmas cookies. They are pretty and I get great satisfaction in making them look uniform and just right! I’ve been decorating them for the last 19 years in our shop. We are usually so busy that by the time Christmas comes I am totally surprised, unprepared, and full of “bah humbug”. We are so busy preparing Christmas treats for the public there is little time left for ourselves. This year has been different. The economy is an old story that seems to touch all walks of life. I can see the difference in business in general. People seem to be baking more themselves than buying. I know I baked a birthday cake for my grown daughter 2 years ago when the recession began. I hadn’t baked at home since I went all Suzy Homemaker for my 25th wedding anniversary celebration in 1995. And the current administrations attempt to curtail children’s obesity by banning sweets in schools hit us hard. We used to do tons of Christmas cookies and cupcakes for school parties. The difference is noticeable. The upside of this December is a more relaxed pace, less stress, and an absence of the usual Bah Humbug. I still have a little of my normal ‘holiday blues’, but it is much less than usual. We decided not to buy Christmas gifts this year. Our son and family saw some unexpected expenses and a slower than normal work load so it was mutually agreeable. We will just have the family who live here in town over, share Christmas dinner and fellowship and not worry about gifts. It will be different, but it feels okay…calmer somehow. And perhaps this way, I can focus on what Christmas actually is about…the birth and coming of Jesus. Happy Birthday Jesus!

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About estherlou

My husband and I married in 1970. I am the mother of 2 and grandmother to 5. I share my health stories and my experiences with Thrive. I am reading and writing blogs, watching tv, making jewelry and rosaries, selling in my Etsy store and playing solitaire. I am home bound and add in my physical therapy exercises to my daily routine. I will blog about my progress or anything that catches my attention at that moment. See you around and thanks for stopping by!

Hooray for the diminished “Bah Humbug” and the decreased stress. We’re doing the same thing this Christmas, focusing on family and festivities, and gifts for the kids! It does seem less stressful! But reading about your cookies and cakes makes my mouth water!!!

Your cookies are beautiful. I have had too many arm and hand injuries and can no longer decorate cakes and cookies like I used to. Now I just slap the frosting on and sprinkle colored sugar or candy decorations on and be done with it. They are nowhere near being as beautiful as yours – but they still taste the same. 🙂

Sorry if I gave you a wrong impression. I just work in this shop and have worked there 20 of its 25 years in business. So I’m the oldest thing there, almost! LOL The new owners have been there for 3 years. Anyway, I have always been amazed and blessed for my husband who has stood by me through sane and crazy years. LOL